Supreme Council for Sharia Knocks Southwest Govs Over Amotekun, Claims Govs Failed To Carry Muslims Along

The Supreme Council for Sharia in Nigeria has accused Southwest Governors of failing to carry Muslims along at the formation stage of the Southwest Security Network codenamed Amotekun.

The Islamic organisation flayed the Governors while addressing a press conference at Osun NUJ Correspondents’ chapel in Osogbo on Monday.

Speaking, the National Vice Chairman of the Council, Sheik Abdur’raheed Hadiyatullah aid the governors ought to have carried all religions along at the planning stage of Amotekun alleging that the security outfit does not favour the interest of Muslims.

He therefore advised the Southwest states Governors to always contact religious bodies when taking up sensitive issues in their states.

Hadiyatullah said, ” the isolation of a sizeable number of the concerned people specifically, the Muslims who are the majority in the region and some faithfuls of other religions by these Governors especially the 5 Christians Governors in the deliberation that subsequently produced the planned Amotekun is nothing but a constructive display of low understanding of Religious tolerance on the side of promoters of the security outfit.

“Apart from the reference to birth certificates from churches and letters of reference from pastors, the choice of nomenclature is another controversial issue because it has a strong Christian identity.

“Why ‘Amotekun’ as a name for crying out loud? Research has revealed the biblical origin of this name and it makes Muslims suspicious. Why Amotekun of all brands?

“Jeremiah 5:6 says, ‘A leopard shall guard over their city’. Amotekun is mentioned in this verse with particular reference to guarding a city.

“Provision of effective safely for lives and properly of the people at any point in time is a collective responsibility one that is devoid of any iota of elements of Religious , ethnic and primitive bigotry ; a type of garment that Amotekun presently but unfortunately I wear.

“Issues of security of the people ought not to be premised on the alter of politics and personal interest as doing such would amount to building a. Empire on a mere propaganda and the figment of the imagination of the gullible. It stands to collapse shortly after it’s creation.”

But Osun state governor, My Gboyega Oyetola has debunked insinuations that the security outfit has religious interpretation.

Reacting swiftly through his Chief Press Secretary, Mr Ismail Omipidan, the governor said the claims by the Sharia Council was a deliberate attempt to cause  disunity among the people of the state and Southwest region in general.

The Governor urged the people to concentrate their energy on how to reposition the security system of the state saying Government is already working on the legislation to legalize it .

“As far as Osun state is concerned there was no any certificate issued by any church for any recruitment for Amotekun Operations.

“Already, the government is yet to start recruitment on Amotekun. Osun is a peaceful and government would not allow anybody to cause disaffection among the people of the state,” the governor noted.